Voltage dependent differentially grown zinc oxide nanowire based three terminal device for water quality monitoring

Abstract

It is necessary to detect Heavy Metal Ions due to their toxic effects on the environment and human health. Chromium(VI), Copper(II), Iron(II) and Nickel(III) ions pose serious risks when present in above par concentrations in water sources, by contaminating drinking water supplies, accumulating in ecosystems and have toxic effects on aquatic life. Development of reliable and sensitive sensing devices for their detection is crucial for effective monitoring, ensuring water safety and implementing appropriate remediation strategies. This thesis focuses on the detection and analysis of specific heavy metal ions, namely Chromium(VI), Copper(II), Iron(II) and Nickel(III) ions in water samples. The material of choice for this study is Zinc Oxide, which exhibits favourable properties for sensing applications. The Zinc Oxide Nanowire based Three Terminal Devices are prepared under different Bias Voltages and their further characterization and heavy metal ion sensing is done. The synthesized materials were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS). The results of the sensing experiments demonstrated that the Zinc Oxide-based Three Terminal Device has better response towards Chromium(VI), Copper(II), Nickel(III) ions but not towards Iron(II) ions.